Oliver Strange and the Ghosts of Madagascar by Dianne Hofmeyr Out Now

A second book in the series following Oliver Strange’s journeys into the most wild and intriguing places on earth! This time he travels to Madagascar with Zinzi (remember her from Oliver Strange and the Journey to the Swamps?) and their respective parents: Oliver’s father is researching a rare frog found only in the forests of Madagascar: the golden mantella. And Zinzi’s mom is after a lemur: the indri. Oliver and Zinzi discover Madagascar has a history of piracy. Is there something darker and more sinister than frogs or lemurs hidden in the island’s forests and coves?

Who is the girl hiding in the forest and who are the men in the pirogues? What is their cargo?

The author is highly experienced and knows how to keep a young reader’s attention. As in Oliver Strange and the Journey to the Swamps, illustrative material in the form of maps, notes and hand-drawn illustrations provide a journal-like feel to the text. These were once again supplied by Port Elizabeth-based artist Rob Foote.

About the author

Dianne Hofmeyr lives in London but grew up on the southern tip of Africa.

She qualified as an art teacher. Journeys with notebook and camera through Botswana, China, Egypt, Russia, Tunisia, Senegal, Siberia, Vietnam and Zambia have led to books that have won Sanlam Awards, the Young Africa Award, IBBY Honour Books and the M-Net Book Prize.

Her novels and picture books have been translated into Catalan, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish as well as most African languages.

In 2012 she celebrates twenty five years of being published by Tafelberg.